


If you listen hard enough

by WaltzingTheFaePaths



Category: Ghost Hunt, One Piece
Genre: D families with secret powers (because I am a noob), Gen, Haki used for ghost hunting and medicine, Parapsychology, Twins, so many ghosts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 19:11:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6820627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaltzingTheFaePaths/pseuds/WaltzingTheFaePaths
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are.  She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter.  Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

 

**_2008 AD_ **

 

_“It hurts, onii-sama!”  She whimpered.  “My body is turning white!”_

_“It’ll be ok!  Tou-sama is the greatest doctor in all of Flevance!  He’ll save you!”_

_…_

_“What are those noises, onii-sama?”_

_“It’s – a festival!  You know how Flevance loves festivals!  You stay here, I’ll go and see if they can’t keep it down for you, ok?”_

_“Ok!”_

_…_

_Brother didn’t come back, and the noises only got louder and louder.  Fire licked up the walls, smoke choked her lungs, and the whiteness_ hurt _.  Faraway, she heard Brother screaming…_

Taniyama Torao shot up, sweating from the remains of her nightmare.  Looking around the tiny room she shared with her sister, she ran a hand through her wild bed-hair, taking deep breaths.  Shaking her head to clear it, she made her way to the bathroom and washed her face, before moving to the futon opposite hers, tapping her sister lightly on the shoulder.

 “Mai?”

 “Tora?”  The other girl mumbled.  “Did you have a nightmare again?”  Torao sighed; her sister moved over, mumbling, “Just get in, dummy.  You don’t have to ask.”

 By morning, she had managed to grab perhaps another two hours sleep, and had _almost_ banished the dream to the back of her mind.  It had, of course, been ten years.

 

 

* * *

 

 

As usual, Torao was up before Mai, showering quietly before making breakfast for the two of them.  She was halfway through making lunch when Mai finally came out, dressed in her uniform and still only just awake. 

 “To- Tora, are you walking with me today?”  Mai mumbled around a yawn.

 Grinning a bit, she shook her head.  “I’m tutoring that Watanuke-ya in English and Kokoyaki-ya and Mizuada-ya in Science before school, and I have kendo and Fusao’s tutoring this afternoon.  Sorry, Mai, you’re on your own again today.”

 Pouting, Mai nodded, moving to make tea for the both of them as Torao finished the lunches. 

 “I wish you didn’t have to be so busy.”  Mai whispered quietly over breakfast.

 Tora sighed.  “You know I have to, if I want to keep going to kendo.  The money Okaasan left us goes towards food and rent and electricity.  The school covers our tuition.  Something unnecessary like sport?  I have to come up with that on my own.”

 “I could try and get a job, too!”  Mai exclaimed.  “That way it’s not all on your shoulders!”

Torao smiled at her sister sadly.  “It’s good of you to offer, but jobs are hard to find.  I earn enough from tutoring, and the Senseitachi at the dojo cover what I can’t match anyway, so don’t worry about it.  Tonight, I promise I’ll spend more time with you.  Ok?”

 Mai sighed and agreed, though it was obvious that she was still put out.  Tora smiled, ruffled her sister’s hair, before moving to the front of their small apartment, putting on her shoes, and leaving quickly.  She had to get to the Library before Watanuke-ya, otherwise she’d never hear the end of it.  Mai was the late one, not Torao.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

**_Thursday, 24 th  April, 2008_ **

 

The idea to start tutoring people in maths, science and English had come from the kindly teacher who had allowed the sisters to stay with her for a little while after Taniyama Erika had passed on.  Torao was always helping Mai with the subjects she didn’t get, though the exchange went both ways – Mai excelled (compared to her sister) at Japanese and Home Economics.

The idea of tutoring students from surrounding schools had come from Torao’s friend Fusao during a break from kendo.  A lot of the students who did sports often found that they started to lag behind in some of the harder subjects – science and English studies, predominantly.  Charging them only one hundred yen ( **A/N, roughly** **$1.06 AUD, $0.84 USD** ) per half hour, at the end of the week, after taking on more than twenty students, some for more than half an hour, she’d made about two thousand yen on average, most of which would then go to covering the costs of her kendo classes.  Anything left over often went into a separate account to accrue – it was for their university fund.

 To be honest, Torao did feel guilty over her sister.  Sometimes Mai would come to the tutoring too, even if it was just to spend time with her sister, but lately she’d started to spend more time with her friends, telling ghost stories.  So long as her sister was happy, Torao didn’t mind, though she _had_ warned Mai about the consequences of too many ghost stories and hyped up emotions.  Torao doubted Mai had listened, on that occasion.

 She had waved to her sister after class, leaving Mai with Keiko and Michiru, before meeting and walking with Fusao from the front gate of her school to their Dojo, which was only a few blocks away.  The day had followed its normal routine after that: they had dressed into their armour and gone through multiple bouts in preparation for an upcoming tournament (most of which Torao won in her section).  Following that, she had walked part of the way home with Fusao, laughing together over stories he had to share about his eccentric cousin, Osamu.  In the park, the midway point between their two apartments, Torao had helped him with his Science homework, before they finally said goodbye, each heading home for dinner.

 It was around about _there_ that things started to get a little strange.

 “Tadaima!”  Torao called, stepping into the apartment.  “Mai?”  She called again with her socks half off, not hearing her sister’s reply.  “Oi, Mai?”  She walked further into the apartment.

 …

 Torao stared at her sister, bustling around the kitchen with a fierce scowl on her face, muttering about a boy.

 “Mai?  Are you ok?”  Torao asked carefully, only to start slightly when her sister slammed the pot of rice on the table.

 “I’m fine!”  She exclaimed loudly.

 “If you’re sure…”  Torao sweatdropped.  “How did the stories go?”

 The (rather wonky-looking) sushi was also slammed on the table.  “Fine!”  Mai snapped again.  “It was all going great!  And then that stupid, good-looking liar came and made everyone all silly!”

 Torao blinked.  “Good-looking liar?”

 “Some exchange student called Shibuya,” Mai growled.  “He was really tall, with a face that shouldn’t be that beautiful!  He scared us at the end of the story-telling, and then he goes and asks if he can join in the next time we tell stories.  He smiled, but he was lying!  And that Michiru and Keiko – they only go for a pretty face, so now we’re telling stories with him tomorrow!”

 Torao couldn’t help it – she laughed.  “Ah, Mai!’  She exclaimed cheerfully, reaching over and ruffling her sister’s hair.  “Don’t ever change, ok?”

 Mai’s pout twitched into something of a smile.  “I sounded a bit like an idiot then, didn’t I?”  She asked with a chuckle.

 “Just a little bit,” Torao smiled back.  “But it’s ok, you’re all the more endearing for it.  Come on, your yummy food is going to go off.”

 Mai gasped.  “You’re right!  Itadakimasu!”

 

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

**_Friday, 25 th April, 2008_ **

 

The next day Torao received a text from the boy she was supposed to tutor – he had come down with a cold, so he couldn’t meet at the library.  Tora texted back that it was fine and she hoped he’d get better soon, and sent another to the girl she was also supposed to meet, Mai’s friend Yuuri, to please meet her on the front steps of the school instead.

The morning followed it’s normal routine, with Tora rising first and preparing breakfast (today’s lunches were leftover sushi from dinner), and Mai following a little while later, still half asleep as she made their tea.  Tora did the washing up this time whilst Mai rummaged around for her other sock, then called out a goodbye to her sister as she left the apartment in a bit of a rush – she had a mission to do today, and if she didn’t leave now, she’d be late!

Stopping at the florists on the way, Torao bought a tiny bouquet of flowers.  One of the girl’s she tutored in English had died in a hit and run on a street corner just before the Library last week, and Tora wanted to pay her respects.  At the corner, Tora paused and closed her eyes, looking around with her senses, instead.  Ah!  There.

 Placing the flowers along the corner fence, she murmured, “I’m sorry about this, Haruna-ya.  What’s holding you back?”

 There was a sniffle.  In her mind’s eye, Torao saw the white-on-black outline of the shy girl she used to tutor.  “ _I was too young, Taniyama-senpai!  I didn’t want to die – what about my family?!”_

 Tora’s closed eyes crinkled in sympathy.  “At least you’d lived a good life.”  She murmured.  “Your family and friends, they all admired you very much, even though you were shy.  Now, you shouldn’t have anything to fear in the Afterlife – they’ll take care of you up there, and before you know it, everyone will be along, too.  So please, for your own sake, won’t you move on?”

 There was more sniffling from Haruna Suzume.  “ _Will you pass on a message for me, Senpai?”_

 “Of course.”

  _“Can you tell my family I’m really sorry, and… not to cry anymore?”_

 Torao smiled sadly.  “Of course I will.  Now, it’s time to go.”  The outline of the dead girl’s  head nodded once, before a bright ray of sun shone down from somewhere, and she was gone.

 Torao opened her eyes and sighed, bowed once, then took off towards the school.  She couldn’t afford to be late!

 

* * *

 

“Torao-san!”  Yuuri called in surprise as the brunette leapt over the school fence in front of her.  “There’s no need to rush!  I don’t mind if you’re a little bit late.”  She giggled then.  “You’re Mai’s sister, after all!!”

Tora grumbled, slowing down next to her.  “Mai isn’t _always_ late, Yuuri-ya.”

Yuuri grinned, shaking her head.  “You’re so formal, Torao-san!  Ah, you and that Mai, even though you’re twins, you’re so different!”

Torao shook her head, smirking slightly.  “We’re still different people, Yuuri-ya.  Actually, we –” She broke off abruptly and spun around, looking towards the old school building.  “Mai!”  She shouted, taking off and leaving Yuuri behind.

“Mai!”  Torao yelled, swinging in an open window that she instinctively knew lead to her sister.  Moving to the stuttering girl quickly, she looked her over once, before turning to the two men in the room with a critical eye.  Crouching next to the man on the ground, she said, “Can you grab my bag please, Mai?  I dropped it outside that window.”

 “Right!”  Mai exclaimed, dashing out the door immediately.

 Tora moved closer to the man and made to move his fringe so that she might check the injury there, but he slapped her hand away – or he would have, if she hadn’t slapped his away first.  “Hold still.”  She scolded instead, pushing his fringe aside carefully, and ignoring the blue eye it hid.  Allowing the hair to fall back over his eye when Mai returned, Tora pulled on latex gloves, brought out a pack of tissues from her bag and gently mopped the blood away, before wadding more up and holding them to the scratch with careful pressure.  “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

 “I’m fine,” He snapped, which only made Tora snort.

 “Mai, will you tell the teacher’s why I’ll be late, please?” 

 “Tora, I’m not going to leave you alone!”  Mai exclaimed, shocked.

 Tora turned a sharp look on her sister.  “I’m going to take them to the hospital, and you’re going to class!”

 “I should let you know that the school bell just rang.”  The younger man told Mai.

 “Eh?”  Mai asked, slack faced, before turning back to her sister.  “You’re sure?”

 “Mai!”  And then she was gone, like Alice’s rabbit.  Torao shook her head with a fond smile, before turning back to the men.  “I take it you’re not a transfer student then, Shibuya-shi?”  She directed at the younger.

 His brows creased, but before he could say anything, Tora smirked.  “My sister came home in a horrible mood over an incredibly beautiful liar last night.  I’m Taniyama Torao.”  She turned to the injured man.  “If you can stand, I will help you to the hospital.  It’s not far.”

 Shibuya interrupted.  “If you give us directions, we can find our own way.”

 Tora snorted again.  “And pass up an opportunity for practical medical application?  Try again.”

 “I beg your pardon?”

 “I intend to be a doctor.”  Tora told him firmly.  She closed her eyes briefly, drew in a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh at what she had ‘seen’.  “It would be unwise to walk on that leg – we can use your vehicle instead.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Torao-chan!”  The nurse behind the counter exclaimed.  “Who have you brought in this time?”

“A sprained ankle and minor head injury,” Tora said cheerfully.  “Is Akihito-hakise in?”

“Yes, yes!  You know the way, of course?”

Tora winked, escorting the injured man down the hall.

“Akihito-hakise?”  She called, knocking on the door.  “It’s Taniyama again.”

“Torao-chan!”  The gentlemen who answered the door was in his forties with black hair and brown eyes that twinkled.  “My, my!  Who is this poor man?”

“My name is Lin Koujo,” The injured man finally said, as Tora lowered him to the examination bed in the corner.

“What is your diagnostic, Torao-chan?”  Akihito asked.

“A sprained ankle and a minor gash to the head.”  She answered promptly.

“Did Mai-san help at all?”  The doctor asked fondly as he examined Lin’s ankle – it _was_ sprained.

Colour bloomed in Torao’s cheeks, and both Lin and Shibuya answered with a firm “yes”.  The doctor laughed.

“Mai can’t help it that she’s clumsy!”  Tora defended crossly.

“It’s a part of her charm, Torao-chan,” Akihito laughed, removing the bandage she had placed on the gash on Lin’s forehead.  “Now, what would you prescribe Lin-san for his recovery?”

Her eyes narrowed as she gave him a once over, and answered promptly, having already thought this through on their way.  “The ankle is easy enough, provided you follow the RICE procedure.  I’d recommend at least three days of uninterrupted rest, with an ice pack for ten to twenty minutes every hour or so of the first seventy-two hours, compression and elevation.  Lin-ya should stay abed during this time, with the leg up and supported.  For the scratch, we should wipe it with anti-bacterial disinfectant, and then apply a bandage.  I don’t believe it needs stiches.”

Akihito laughed proudly.  “Well done, my girl!  We’ll make a doctor out of you yet!  Now, Lin-san, you don’t have to worry at all.  We’ll look after you until it’s safe for you to walk on that leg.  In the meantime, Torao-chan will look after your friend.”

Shibuya made a choking noise.

“You were in the middle of doing something before Mai interrupted, right?  Since it was my sister who has caused this setback, I’ll help however I can, outside of school hours.  And if I can’t make it, Mai will.”  Tora said firmly.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

**_Friday, 25 th April, 2008_ **

 

After that, Tora left the two men in the capable hands at the hospital, returning to class in time for the second period. Mai attempted to ask her what had happened, but on each occasion, Tora gave her a look that said _later_.  And so, wait she had – although, Tora noticed that she was in a considerably bad mood throughout the day, even before Tora joined her.

Tora had already texted the students she was to tutor after school to let them know that she couldn’t make it, but did email them during lunch several links that should do in her stead, and she didn’t have kendo today either, so she was prepared for whatever Shibuya-shi needed a hand with.

“Hey, Mai, are you going home?”  Keiko asked at the end of the day.

“Why?”  Mai grumbled, still in a bad mood.

“Weren’t we going to meet with yesterday’s exchange guy?”

“Shibuya?”

“Yeah, let’s meet him.”

Mai’s face clearly said _I don’t want to see that guy for a while_.  Tora felt a moment of pity for her sister.

“Tora and I are going home.”  Mai said firmly.

“Why–?  Mai… you’ve changed.”  Michiru nodded along with Keiko’s statement.

“What a weirdo you are.  That guy’s got the godlike coolness, don’t you think so?”

“You really are all about the looks,” Tora said sadly, shaking her head.

“Well, that’s fine.”  Michiru said.  “The less rivals, the better.  Torao-san would just make us look really dumb, anyway.”

“That’s right – we’ll be the only ones to enjoy his enchanting eyes!”  Keiko was _quite_ smitten.

Yuuri had also been there last night, and she was quite fond of the grounded Taniyama twins.  “You really don’t want to come?”  She was also aware of how gorgeous Shibuya-senpai was, and found it suspicious that Mai, at least, didn’t want to come and meet him again (they’d given up on Torao ages ago)

“But I was really surprised yesterday,” Keiko changed the subject slightly.  “The atmosphere was so tense, wasn’t it?  I thought that ghosts had appeared for sure!”

Tora gave Mai a quick, reproachful look, which her sister ignored.

“Me too!”  Michiru and Yuuri agreed.

“Today, we’ll tell stories again.”

The three other girls continued to question where to hold their story-time with Shibuya, whilst the Taniyama twins leant against each other – it had been a long day, and Tora knew they still had to meet with that boy.  Maybe she’d try and spare her sister… although, technically, it _was_ her fault…

 “Wait a minute.”  It was the class representative, Kuroda Naoko-san.  Even after half a month at the school, the twins hadn’t even spoken to her.

 “Ah, Kuroda-san, goodbye!”  Yuuri says with an innocent smile.

 “It isn’t goodbye.  What were you talking about just now?”  She seemed to be in something of a bad mood.  Tora’s trained eye picked up on signs of stress and fatigue. 

 “We’re going to tell ghost stories today.  That’s what we were talking about.”  Mai replied.  Tora raised a surprised eyebrow at her sister, and Keiko poked her.

 "Are the Taniyama-san sisters here?”  Shibuya asked from the door at that moment.

 “What year are you?”  Kuroda-san asked.  “What are you doing here?”

 “Ah, I had an arrangement with these girls…”  Tora raised her other eyebrow at how the comment could be taken.

 “Arrangement?  About the ghost stories?”

 “That’s right…?”

 Kuroda-san rounded on the girls then.  “Didn’t I tell you to stop doing this?”

 Eh?

 “No wonder I’ve been having headaches since this morning.”

 The other girls made noises of confusion; Mai and Tora exchanged looks, before inclining their heads doubtfully.

 “Taniyama-santachi, I am sensitive to spirits.  I have headaches when a lot of them gather.  I am having headaches today.  Spirits have definitely gathered here.”

 “If your headache is so severe, I would recommend that you ask the nurse kindly for some medication,” Tora said in her cool voice.  Kuroda-san glared at her.

 “They don’t work for these kind of headaches.  In any case, didn’t you know?”  She turned to Mai now.  “When you tell ghost stories, spirits gather.  These are mainly low-level spirits.  But even if they are low-level ones, when a lot of them gather they attract stronger spirits.  You will be in trouble if that happens.  So you shouldn’t think of telling ghost stories as ‘fun’.

 “It would be quite troublesome if senpai did it too.  I’d have to do an exorcism.”  Kuroda-san added the last bit thoughtfully. 

 The other three girls were fidgeting, but Shibuya only shrugged his shoulders.

 “Isn’t it just your imagination?”

 “That’s why people who can’t sense spirits are annoying.”

 “Torao-san has already told us all of this!”  Keiko exclaimed suddenly.  “She can sense spirits too!”

 Tora stiffened, and shot Keiko a _look_.

 “You, if you really can sense them, then do you sense anything from the old school building?”  Tora’s eyes narrowed slightly in concentration.  There was a lot of rumour regarding that building, and she knew that the headmaster had wished to have it removed…

 “Old School building?”  Kuroda-san asked before adding quickly.  “Ah, it seems spirits of those who died during the war are gathering there.”

 “Died during the war…?”  Shibuya questioned.

 “Right, I often see a man’s shadow looking at me from the windows and it looks like a man from the war.”

 “Hee, which war?”

 “Of course, the World War II.  During the war there was a hospital in this place.  The spirits of the dead nurses can been seen there.  It had been air-raided once.  Therefore a lot of injured spirits can be seen too.”

 From Tora’s research prior to their attendance, she was pretty sure that the only remarkable thing that had happened before this school was a number of wells that had supplied the immediate district with a constant water supply.

 “Awesome,” Shibuya says sarcastically.  “I didn’t know this was a hospital during the war.  I heard that this school was here since pre-war days.  And before that there was a medical faculty, wasn’t there?”

 Kuroda-san blushes.  “I wouldn’t know such a thing.  Anyway, I’ve seen them.  A person unable to sense them wouldn’t understand.”

 Shibuya turned to Tora then.  “And you?”

 She was already shaking her head, still leaning against her sister.  “There was a man who committed suicide when we first started here, but he has since moved on.”  Shibuya didn’t need to know that she had helped in that instance.  “If there are spirits left over from the war, I can’t hear them – perhaps Kuroda-san and I are on different wavelengths?  That would allow her to sense what I cannot.”

 Shibuya was quiet for a moment whilst he digested the information, before saying, “The school principal is bothered that the ex-building’s demolition failed and was complaining.  Are you here to exorcise it?”  The question was directed at both of them.

 Tora half shrugged, and answered first.  “How can I exorcise what I can’t hear?  To me, there is nothing there.”

 “…. It isn’t so simple.  I’ll do it when possible,” Kuroda-san finally added.

 “I see,” Shibuya added coldly, and turned to Mai and her friends.  “Since here is no good, let’s go somewhere else?”

 “It’s still such a thing!”  Kuroda-san tried again.

 “Let’s…”  Yuuri managed timidly.  “Let’s put it off for today?”

 “I agree… I’m not in the mood for it.”  Keiko adds.

 “Shibuya-senpai, sorry.  After all…”

 “I see,” He says, nodding.  “Then, some other time.  You are satisfied too, right?”  He asks Kuroda, having raised his hand.

 “What are you talking about?”

 “It’s okay if you don’t know.  –– Taniyama-santachi, please.”

 “What is it?”  Mai asks curiously as her friends sent surprised glances at the sisters.  Tora was resigned.

 “Do you have a spare minute?”  He smiles – ah, and this must have been the one that annoyed Mai so much last night!  Very beautiful indeed, but it was only a surface smile; it didn’t even reach his eyes…

 And it reminded Torao uncomfortably of herself, when she’d lost the world at five years old.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

“Who’s that girl?”  Shibuya asked the sisters whilst walking away from the classroom briskly.

"She’s the class representative,” Tora began, leaving room for Mai to continue.

 “Today was the first time we’ve spoken with her, though.  She seemed suspicious to me for some reason.”

 “Yeah.  Is she really a medium?”  Shibuya asked.

 Tora shrugged, though she was pretty confident the answer was in the negative.

 “Well, she said it herself, didn’t she?”  Mai answered instead.  “By the way, is the person from this morning all right?  Tora wouldn’t tell me anything.”  The face she gave her sister screamed _stingy_.

 “About that.”  Shibuya turned to face Mai with his cold, indifferent expression.  “He sprained his left ankle.  It is apparently in a very bad condition, so he won’t be able to stand for a while.”

 “…Oh…  I’m really sorry…”  Mai apologised.

 Tora narrowed her eyes at him.  “Lin-ya would do well to stay off his leg – he had _better_ not be standing on it until Akihito-hakise says otherwise.”

 “Well … is he an acquaintance of yours?”  Mai asked on the end.

 Shibuya gave Tora a glare that barely fazed her, then looked at Mai with ridicule in his eyes.

 “Wasn’t it obvious?”

 “What kind of acquaintance?  Tora never discloses information about her patients, even little things like that.”  Tora also wanted to know this information, but her principals had stayed her from asking.

 “Assistant.”  Shibuya answered casually.  Tora’s eyes narrowed then – the way he’d held himself, the way he’d acted when Lin-ya had first been injured.  There was no way…

 “Your boss seems to have a rather strict personality.”  Mai says with a bit of sarcasm.  “But it wasn’t only me who was responsible for your master’s injury.  He was the one who surprised me –”

 “It’s the opposite,” Shibuya interrupted curtly before Tora could pull her sister up; on the bright side, her suspicions were now confirmed.  “I am the boss.  He is the assistant.”

 Tora kept her expression carefully neutral at that, but Mai gave him her patented “ _are you serious?_ ” expression.

 “My assistant being unable to move is troublesome.  Don’t you think you have a responsibility to take on, Taniyama-san?”

 “I already said I’d assist you,” Tora told him firmly, trying to prevent Mai’s response.  Seeing her sister open her mouth, and knowing exactly what was going to come out of it, Tora placed a hand lightly around her sister’s wrist.  “You’re doing pretty lively, Mai.”  She reminded firmly.

 “Moreover, the camera was broken.”  Both sisters stiffened then.  Cameras were expensive – did this mean they’d have to go without for a little while?  More specifically, in Mai’s opinion, had her clumsiness just cost her beloved sister money that could be going towards her kendo or university fund?  “Lin… I mean, my assistant, tried to prevent you from touching it, which lead to our current situation.”

 “That is… really…”

 “I would have liked you to pay compensation for the camera, but….”

 “It isn’t like I broke it intentionally!”  Mai exclaimed suddenly.  “I’ll work it off!  Don’t make Tora pay for it!”

 “Mai!”  Tora hissed, before turning to face Shibuya.  “That thing seemed like something very important – I imagine you’d need it replaced shortly.  How much is the compensation?”

 The estimation Shibuya gave was very, _very_ steep.

 “That video camera was a custom-made, produced in Germany.  Would you like to see the certificate?”  Tora was already saying her goodbyes to kendo, and saw a drastic increase in the number of people she would have to start tutoring – Mai would also have to get a job, and ….

 “If you don’t like this…” Shibuya interrupted the inner monologues of the sisters.  “Would you mind taking the place of my assistant?”

 “I’ll do it.”  Mai said firmly before Tora could say anything.  She wouldn’t cause her sister any more worry!  “By the way, though… what kind of work are you doing, Shibuya-san?”

 “ _Ghost Hunt_.”  He answered in English.  Torao frowned, and Mai pulled a face.

 “Haa?”  Her audio and oral English, regardless of Tora’s attempts to the contrary, remained abysmal.

 “Or in other words… Ghost extermination.” He found the Japanese words.  “We’ve come here to investigate the old school building by the request of the principal.  We are called _Shibuya Psychic Research_.”

 “Pusai… kkiku…. risaachi?”  Mai stumbled over the words.

 “Haven’t you taken any English lessons?”  Shibuya demanded.  Mai pouted, and Tora’s lips twitched.  “A psychic phenomenon investigation service.  And I am the head of it.”

 Both sisters reeled back at that piece of information.  How was a seventeen-year-old the head of something so …. Prestigious sounding?!  This must be some kind of joke, right?!

 

* * *

 

They had sat themselves on a bench near the shrubs of the old school building.

 “If you’re interested in listening, I can briefly explain the circumstances?”  Shibuya ‘suggested’.

 "If I don’t listen, I won’t be able to do my job."  Mai answered, somewhere between sullen and determined.

 "The principal heard that the old school building is haunted, so a week ago he asked me to come investigate. Apparently, he wants to rebuild the gymnasium. For that he wants the old school building demolished.”  This was familiar information to the sisters.  "However, it seems that the many times in the past that they had tried to demolish the old school building, they had to stop the demolition because of the accidents that happened."

 "Ah, and they wanted an investigation so they asked you?"  Mai asked.

 "That’s how it is."

 "I see, and so you transferred schools for that?"

 “Who said I was transferring for the investigation?”  Shibuya asked.  Tora’s brows narrowed slightly.  This man didn’t seem like the type to casually throw away an education… Had he already graduated, then?  Was he an intellectual equal, perhaps?

 “But… yesterday, you said you were a transfer student.”  Mai struggled.

 “When I said ‘something like that’, and intended for it to be ambiguous?  That is what I said.”

 “Liar,” Mai whispered in a small voice.  Tora could understand her sister’s sudden drop in mood.  She had followed a similar thought process to Tora’s – and she was feeling inadequate.

 “You were going to tell ghost stories.  That’s why.”  Shibuya said frostily, even as Tora squeezed her sister’s wrist gently.

 "I see. When we were telling ghost stories you might have brought up the old school building story, right? Then if you did that, it would be collecting information."  Mai regained (or at least the appearance of) her composure.

 "Oh, so you have more wisdom than a monkey?" Shibuya honestly sounded surprised – that bastard!  "I was collecting the rumours between the students. Yesterday when you were telling ghost stories, did a story about the old school building come up?"

 "Yeah, but Michiru told it."

 "What’s the story? Can you remember it?" 

 "I still remember it. I’m not so out of it that I can forget what happened yesterday!"  She turns away, pouts, then looks back at Shibuya again, and seems to begin.  "Weeellll……"

 "Wait."  He told her, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a tape recorder.  “Begin," He says, pushing the record button.

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

“The deconstruction of the old building was stopped because of a curse,” Mai began.  Here, Tora knew her to be in her element – nobody could tell stories like Mai.  “There have been a lot of people who died in that old school house, including a teacher who committed suicide.  So when they were going to build a new building, they were working to knock it down, but then parts of the building collapsed, injuring workers, so the work was suspended.  Last year, they started again, to rebuild the gymnasium.  But then, a truck went out of control, and crashed out onto the field where they were having class, and a student died! 

“What’s more, Michiru heard from an upperclassmen, but, one night as she was passing by the old school… She saw someone standing at the window, looking at her!’  Mai paused, and added as a slight aside, “Though that could have been the teacher’s spirit Tora heard, who has since moved on.”

 Shibuya frowned.  “In my experience, lingering spirits rarely move on of their free will if they’ve decided to hang around on this plane.  Who asked that man’s spirit to leave?”

 The sisters exchanged a long look, before Tora looked at him with her head high.  “I did.  Do you have a problem with that?”

 His eyes narrowed.  “No.  However, before you said you couldn’t sense any spirits from the old building.”

 “I didn’t lie.”  Tora replied coolly.  “I can’t hear any spirits right now, and I didn’t this morning when I was there.  If there are any there, it is still possible that they are stronger than I am, and are capable of hiding their presence.”  He looked at her thoughtfully, before nodding, turning off the recorder, and asking them to take a walk with him.

 “To the old school building?”  Mai asked.

 “Where else?”

 “How much of Michiru’s story do you think is true?”  Mai asked worriedly – Tora placed her hand on Mai’s shoulder, and gave a brief, reassuring smile.  She would protect her sister, just like she’d always had.

 Sitting back in the seat, Shibuya pulled out a file.  “Many people died in the old school building.”

 “Really?”  Mai asked, stunned.

 Shibuya turned to a file that was filled with notes written in English that the sisters could only _just_ decipher upside down.  “During the three years that the old building was being used...that is, eighteen years ago, one or two people died every year.  After the new building was built, they made plans to demolish the old one. The roof fell during the demolition of the west wing. They say it was an operating accident."

 "Is that true...?"  Mai was the one to ask the questions.

 "Half of it is."

 "Only half?"

 "The story you heard was that construction workers died, but that's not the truth. Five people were injured, but no one died."

 "Really?"

 "The demolition was completed as planned; they stopped after tearing down a third of the building."

 "Oh? They didn't stop because of the stories?"

 "Regrettably, no. At that time, a child died in the old school building. This most recent event occurred about six years ago."

 "The child is..."

 "The corpse of a seven-year old girl who lived nearby was found in the old school building. The police caught the murderer a month later. He originally wanted to kidnap her. Furthermore, a teacher really did commit suicide there, but he left a suicide note. Apparently he suffered from neurosis."

 "Wow, you're amazing. That was really good research," Mai’s voice was sincere.

 "Of course. Don't underestimate my research ability."

 Mai _twitched_ , and Tora knew, right then, that she and Shibuya were going to get along about as well as a cat and dog – can you guess who would be which?   o.O

 "In order to build a gymnasium in its place, the demolition of the old building began again last year."

 "What about the truck that ran out of control?"

 Look at this."  He took out a copy of an old newspaper clipping detailing the event.

 " _Nine Students Struck by Construction Truck During Demolition_ ", the heading reads.

  _"The driver lost control of the rubble-filled truck near school grounds, causing it to skid though the volleyball court, leaving seven injured and two dead."_

 Below the news report were photos of the two deceased students.

 Shibuya continued indifferently, "There's a plausible reason for it: The driver was drunk."

 "...Really."

 “At that time the construction had to be stopped.  Another reason was of the rumours that were floating around.  I investigated many claims, but they all turned out to be rumours.  Despite being unfortunate ones, there is a clear reason behind each and every one of them.  I don’t think the building is haunted at all.”  With that, Shibuya stood up and made to begin walking towards the old building, and looked at the sisters. 

 They followed him.

 

* * *

 

 

Having walked briskly around the tree groves to the front of the old school building, Shibuya opened the truck of his inconspicuously-parked silver van to reveal the remaining equipment, which he ordered the sisters to help remove.

“Move… all of this?”  Mai asked in disbelief.

 “Move all of the necessary equipment out,” he replied coldly, indicating a shelf, stereo system, several small televisions, and a laptop.

 With a sigh, Torao moved towards the heavier stereo system, knowing that she was physically stronger than her sister.

 “So many machines…” Mai commented as she went to take out a television.  “Do you know how to run all of them?”

 “Your brain and mine are different.  Retrieve the microphone before you start moving the equipment.  Come here.”  Torao grabbed her sister’s shoulder quickly, and wished that Shibuya would walk the microphone-lined path to the old school building a little bit faster.

 Regaining her composure, Mai asked, “Were you talking about these?”

 “That’s right.  Take the microphones down.  I’m putting them back.”

 “I got it… these microphones, what are they used for?”

 Already feeling a new headache coming on, Torao put down the stereo, moved towards one of the microphones and began to pack it up.

 ‘Wouldn’t you think that microphones are generally used to gather sound?”

 “I know that.”  * _twitch twitch_ *

 “It’s dangerous to enter a haunted building without doing research beforehand.  That’s why, in the beginning, one should thoroughly research prior to arriving.”

 “Oh~.”

 “For instance, gathering sound from outside the windows and setting up a camera.”

 “Is a haunted building really dangerous?”

 “Some are.”

 “You’re not scared?”

 “There’s nothing to be scared of.”

 “How come you want to do this kind of work when you’re only seventeen years old?”  
Already working on her second microphone, Torao grit her teeth, and hoped that Shibuya wouldn’t read too much into Mai’s question.

“Because people need it done.”

 _Stop it, Mai_ , Torao thought angrily.  _People need doctors more than spiritualists!_

 “Then, there must be some cases that you couldn’t solve, right?”

 “None,” He replied tersely.  “Because I am capable.”

 “Wow, incredible!”  Mai snarked crossly.  “You’re handsome and capable!”

 "I’m … handsome?”

 Hearing the genuine confusion in Shibuya’s voice, Torao turned around from the van; how would her sister …?

 “Is that bad?  You got Keiko and the others to make such a big fuss over you.”

 Torao felt as if the world were suddenly lining up for something, and as she moved on to her third camera, she found herself holding her breath for his response –

 “Right.”  Shibuya said calmly, nodding to himself.  “They have good taste.”

 She facefaulted.

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

After all of the microphones had been put away, they began to take the rest of the equipment inside of the old school building.

"Do I have to go inside the building...?"  Mai managed to squeak.

 "Of course you do."

 "I want to stay out here and observe the machines."

 Shibuya gave her a cold look, then handed her some steel pipes, "Don't worry; I won't let you go alone. I'll go with you."

 "Got it."

 Unwillingly, she walked towards the old building. 

 “Mai,” Tora said softly, given her sister a small, reassuring smile when frightened brown eyes looked her way.

 The building was old and worn, and the entrance hall was pitch black.  Inside the building, a little orange tint of light could be seen from the afterglow of the sunset. The fallen shoe cabinet lay in the same place since the accident from this morning – Lin-ya’s bloodstains were still on the floor.

 "Wait...wait for me."  Mai’s voice was even higher.

 "Hurry up."

 Shibuya continued to carry the pipes inside, and the sisters followed at his heels; the smell of dust permeated the air, and the floors creaked with every step.

 Deep in the entrance hall was a curved staircase. To the left and right of the staircase were hallways, with two classrooms on the left, and three on the right.  The classrooms' nameplates hung down from the wall, unreadable and covered with dust.  Shibuya lead them inside the former lab, with its big tables lined in rows.

 "Use this room,"   He told them, walking inside.

 The sisters followed inside slowly, looking around carefully, before Mai gave vent to a nervous sigh once she’d inspected the room.

 Placing the steel pipes onto the table, Shibuya turned to them, saying, "Start building the shelves."

 "Shi...Shibuya-san, what about you?"  Mai asked.

 "I have to bring in the rest of the equipment."

 "Are you going out?"

 "Of course, the equipment is outside." 

 "You're just gonna leave us here alone, to build the shelf?"

 "Are you saying you'd rather move the equipment? Some of it weighs about 40 kg."

 "I'll just build the shelf," She answered resignedly.  “Tora –”

 “I’ll help you –”

 “No!”  Mai exclaimed then.  “You’re strong, so if you help Shibuya-san, then more of the equipment can be carried inside!  I can be brave!”

 Tora was surprised for a moment, before smiling softly at her sister and ruffling her hair.  “Of course.  I should have more faith in my sister, after all.”

 Shibuya left then, and Tora followed him briskly, back out to the van to collect the equipment.   Even though she was working on the shelves when they returned, Mai kept looking around the room nervously.

 "You'd better work faster than that."  Shibuya said sharply.

 From the look on Mai’s face, it was obvious to Tora (and potentially Shibuya as well) that at that moment, Mai hated him.

 

* * *

 

 

Once all of the equipment had been brought inside and Mai had finished constructing the shelves, the sisters helped Shibuya place the equipment at various positions around the room, and handing him each item – Mai asked questions about most of them, which seemed to annoy Shibuya to no end.

 “You can’t tell that it’s a tape recorder?”  He retaliated grumpily over Mai’s latest inquiry.

 “I can’t tell,” Mai returned.  Tora had resigned herself to her sister’s curiosity and boss’ irritation, and so hadn’t interrupted.

 "This is a tape recorder. However, this one is special; it can record up to 24 hours. I rely on this and the microphones to collect sound."

 "...Why?"

 He gave her one the frostiest look yet.  "I don't like speaking with amateurs."

 "You knew very well from the beginning that I was an amateur. If you have a problem with that, I'm leaving," She snapped, before Tora could stop her.

 Shibuya looked quite put out by her tone. "It's to confirm whether or not there are ghostly sounds."

 "Ah, so that's what it's for."

 "I set up the microphones and spent the better part of today recording sound from the first floor windows."

 "With those microphones just then?"

 "Right. I will set up a tape recorder in this room tonight."

 "...You're not gonna stay here, right?" 

 "Not today," He told her as he opened five tape recorders with adhesive tape rather than the magnetic stuff the sisters were familiar with.  "If there are ghosts, I won't stay here unless I know what kind they are."

 "So you're the kind who raps on a bridge before he crosses." The sisters exclaimed in sink – Mai with some bit of triumph in her voice at figuring out their boss’ character.

 "What?"  He seemed genuinely confused at the saying – how strange!

 "You're a very cautious person."  Tora told him simply.

 "Of course. ...Some haunted houses have abnormally strong ghosts. If you don't handle these things with care, you might never return."

 "Don't scare me like that. ...What's this?" She pointed at a strange, boxy, camera-like thing.

 "I'm through explaining everything to you." 

 “Then never mind, but let's just say I make a huge mistake out of ignorance." She held her foot precariously over the camera-thing, "Whoops, is this camera-like object a footstool?"

 He sighed, resigned, even as Tora hide her smirk and tried not to giggle.

 "It's an infrared camera. You use it to record in dimly lit areas. It's very sensitive and uses thermography to record temperature levels."

 "Oh..."

 "In addition…  Thermography indicates temperature. When a ghost appears, the temperature drops."

 "Got it. Got it."

 "Do you really understand? Then stop asking stupid questions and get to work!"  He finally snap, beyond annoyed.

 Aw, and they’d been having such fun, too!

 

* * *

 

 

After all of the equipment had been transferred to the table and shelves, Shibuya started to connect wires to an electrical circuit, whilst Mai and Tora went and placed thermometers in the different rooms – although Mai and Shibuya had had something of an argument beforehand.  Tora knew that her sister wasn’t fond of the dark, especially under such strange circumstances,  but it wasn’t as if she was alone!  Tora wouldn’t let anything happen to her, she’d _promised_ , hadn’t she?

 "Nothing out of the ordinary...”  Shibuya mused, looking over their results.  “None of the rooms are exceptionally cold. Well, the temperature of the room on the first floor is a little low, but not significantly so."

 “Shouldn’t that to be expected?”  Tora asked, head cocked to one side.  “Hot air raises and cold air sinks, after all, and the first floor rooms have the addition of drafts.”

 "Hey, you said that places with ghosts have lower temperatures. So does that mean this place doesn't have any ghosts?"  Mai added, before mumbling, “Although if Tora can’t hear them, they probably aren’t here…”

 "I can't say yet; most ghosts are very shy."

 "Huh?"  Both sisters’ rose their brows in confusion.

 "Paranormal phenomenon often occur in uninhabited areas. So when people move into such areas, ghosts usually hide themselves."

 "Oh—"

 "...In conclusion, we must wait for the ghost to show up. For now, I want you to place four infrared cameras on the first and second floor, and one in the entrance."

 On their way out, Tora had to laugh at Mai’s expression – having to work instead of learn all these new things must be grating against her curiosity.  With that thought, however, Tora bowed her head.  _Just maybe…. It could work…_

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

 

After setting up a huge video camera in the lab, as well as tripods on the western and eastern sides of the first and second floors, both sisters were covered in sweat and dust, and Mai was panting.

 “That must have been tiring.  You can go home now.”  Shibuya told them casually.

 “Really?”  Mai exclaimed excitedly.

 "There's nothing else you can help out with for now. I'm going to leave before dark too."

 "What about the equipment? Are you just gonna leave it here?"

 "It's okay. I set up the camera to record automatically."

 "I keep thinking, you really don't act like a psychic."  Mai told him. 

 “Because we’ve met _so_ many psychics before,” Tora scolded her sarcastically.

 “Even you, Tora, you still trust what you hear, and you act on that.  Shibuya-san has all of this fancy equipment, don’t you think it’s different?”

 "Of course."  Shibuya nodded, apparently pleased with Mai’s line of thinking.

 "But isn't a ghost exterminator…"

 "It's ghost hunter. Don't throw me in with psychics." 

  _Ok, touched a nerve there._

 "We’re going then," Mai called out, waving goodbye.  Tora was surprised that her sister didn’t follow up with her questions – probably she’d decided to leave the curiosity until _after_ she’d had a shower and good night’s sleep.

 "Meet me by the van after school tomorrow."  Shibuya called after them.

  “Dammit!   This guy is gonna mistreat us again tomorrow?!”  Mai hissed on their way out of the building.

 “Now now,” Tora said gently, one hand on her sister’s shoulder.

 “Mai, Torao-san,” A penlight was turned on, revealing Keiko and Michiru.  “You were here with Shibuya-senpai until this late?”

 “What were you doing?”

 “Keiko?  Michiru?”  Mai asked.  “Uwah, what didn’t we do!”

 Tora chuckled, and listened as Mai told her friends the details of their evening.

 “Huh?  Spirit investigations?!”

 “Then Shibuya-senpai isn’t an upperclassman?!”

 “Oi now, no need to sound so put out,” Tora said mildly.

 “Mm-mm,” Mai groaned, head on Keiko’s shoulder as Tora leant against the wall next to their shared bench.  “He says he’s a Ghost Hunter.”

 “ _Ghost Hunter?!_ ”  Her friends exclaimed together.  Casting her senses out further, Tora chose to see how many people were close by, instead of reliving their time with Shibuya – she had some thinking to do. 

 Eh, was that …?

 “Taniyama-santachi!”  Kuroda-san called out.  “I wonder if you would introduce me.”

 “Introduce you?”  Mai asked.  “To Naru-chan?”

 Huh?  Tora turned to her sister quickly.  When had she come up with that nickname?

 “Hey, what do you mean by “Naru- _chan_ ”, huh?”  Michiru demanded, even as Keiko tugged at her sleeve.

 “Well, that guy is an extreme narushisuto*!”  Mia exclaimed, which caused Tora to laugh.  He was, wasn’t he!  “What’s more, he’s incredibly ill-natured, and – !”

 “Look, I have some spiritual sensitivity, too, you know?”  Kuroda tried to turn the conversation back from Mai’s rant.  “So maybe I could be of some help to him?”

 “The again, maybe you’d better not get too involved,” Mai tried to be gentle in her delivery.  “He is a pro.”

 “I’m no amateur myself!”  Kuroda snapped back.

 It was still for a moment.  “You know how those pros get, though,” Tora told her quietly.  “Bigheaded, and sure that no one can tell them anything different – thank you for offering your help.  However, he’s already exhausted his humanity in asking Mai and I to be his assistants.  If anything further comes up, we’ll be sure to mention you.”  She stood up from the wall then, just as Michiru and Keiko dragged Mai away from their bench with a muttered, _let’s go, Mai!_

 “She’s always been weird.” Keiko grumbled a block later.  “Ever since middle school, she’s been famous for being trouble!”

 “Was Kuroda-san in the same class track as you, Keiko?”  Mai asked curiously.

 “Yeah.  She says she has spiritual sensitivity and stuff.”

 “Hey hey, you don’t think she’s fallen in love with Shibuya-san at first sight, do you?”  Michiru asked as they continued to walk further away.

 “Yuck!  Don’t say that!”

 Mai and Tora managed to block out most of the conversation after that, and as soon as they could, they took the first turn that would lead to their apartment.

 

* * *

 

 

“… What do you think, Tora?”  Mai whispered over dinner, the final remains of last night’s sushi.

 She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair.  “I don’t really know.  It’s strange, though, don’t you think?”

 “You don’t believe Kuroda-san?”

 “… No, I don’t think that I do.  I can’t hear anyone, and my Haki has never let me down before.  It would have to be very low-level spirits for that – but if they were such weak spirits to begin with, how are they capable of all of those accidents?”

 Both sisters sighed morosely. 

 Fiddling with her chopsticks, Tora murmured, “Tomorrow… please don’t ask Naru-ya so many questions about being a spiritualist.”

 “Tora, you –!”

 “I’ve already told you, I’m going to be a doctor!”  Tora snapped.  “I owe it to my family who died, and to my country.”

 “And what about the family we shared?”  Mai fired back.  “Okaasan tried so hard to teach you how to be a spiritualist, and –!”

 “There were no stipulations given to the families who travelled here that said they must be spiritualists!”  Tora stood abruptly.  “During the Void Century, no _real_ mission was given to those four D families other than to _live_.  The Watel’s just self-styled themselves as spiritualists, since their Haki was so strong – but I’ve found another use for it in medicine, and that’s what I intend to use it for!”

 They paused for a moment, quiet and angry.

 “Aren’t you even a little bit curious?”  Mai finally sighed, turning away.  “Naru-chan says he uses science to prove that ghosts exist.  Doesn’t that sound strange?”

 “I won’t disagree with you on that,” Tora shrugged, sitting back down again.  “I’m just more interested in the science needed to heal the human body.”  She eyed her sister shrewdly.  “However, since he _isn’t_ a psychic himself, and he holds such a position…?”

 Mai flushed pink, and Tora smiled back fondly.

  “Come on,” She said softly.  “There’s no point in us getting ourselves all worked up over this.  Let’s shower and go to bed, ok?”

 Mai’s expression brightened immediately.  “Mm!”

 

* * *

 

Usually the sister’s had a half-day of school on a Saturday, but thanks to some all-day all-teachers workshop, they had the day off.  This is why, instead of wearing their matching uniforms, the sisters appeared in clothes that suited them better: cargo shorts, shirt and pink sleeveless hoodie for Mai, and dark jeans and a blue three-quarter sleeved teeshirt for Tora.

Naru-chan, just like the day before, was dressed in an immaculate black suit.

 “What are you doing?”  Mai asked him as the sisters came around the side of his van.

 “Checking yesterday’s data; doesn’t seem to be anything unusual.”

 Suddenly, Tora’s head shot up and around – she _knew_ that will!

 “Well, that’s some fancy equipment you’ve got there.  Those toys seem too high-class for a child to be playing with.”

 “How harsh, Aya-senpai,” Tora replied coolly to the shapely redhead, stepping slightly in front of Mai.  “I didn’t realise that the principal would call in a spiritualist such as yourself.”

 “You know each other?”  Naru-chan asked.

 Tora inclined her head.  “I worked for her parents not too long ago – this is Matsuzaki Ayako, a self-styled Miko.”   

 “I thought only chaste virgins could become shrine maidens,” Naru said calmly. 

 “My, don’t I look that way?”  Ayako asked, clinging to diplomacy by a thread, even as Mai turned away to hide her giggles.

 “At the very least,” Naru continued.  “I’d say you’re getting a bit old to be calling yourself a maiden.”

 Tora covered her grin politely –though Tora enjoyed her company, Ayako could be a _bit_ much,.

 “Y-you’re quite a smart-mouthed little boy, huh?”  It was no longer rouge giving colour to her cheeks.

 “And you?”  Naru directed to the chuckling man who stood behind the Miko.  “You don’t appear to be Matsuzaki-san’s assistant.”

 “I’m a monk of the Koyasan sect, and my name is Takigawa Hoshou.”

 “When did they start alloying long hair among the Koyasan?”

 Takigawa developed an eye twitch, which only increased with Ayako’s added statement of, “He’s an apostate.”

 “I-I’ve just come down off the mountain for now!”  Takigawa told her with some heat, before turning back to Naru.  “At any rate, children’s playtime is over.  Shibuya, you may have been hired because your office is in a prime location, but the principal said it seemed like a scam to have a child as its manager.”

 “Did he?”  Naru asked offhandedly, going back to his data.

 “The principal makes too much of this,” Ayako announced.  “Calling so many of us out to this run-down old school.”

 “Yep,” Takigawa agreed, watching Ayako out of the corner of his eyes.  “All he needed was me.”

 “My, I wouldn’t be so sure,” Ayako answered back. 

 Whilst Tora leant back against the van, no longer acting as a barrier between her sister and the new arrivals, Mai sweatdropped at their interactions.

 “Although, I’m surprised that you needed help, Torao-kohai,” Ayako said coyly, watching as Tora stiffened against the van.  “Has your jurei been unsuccessful?  Or maybe your senses aren’t working as they should be?”

 Before either Mai or Tora could retort, Kuroda appeared.

 “Ah, thank goodness. The old schoolhouse is a nest of evil spirits, and I didn’t know what I would do.”

 “Kuroda-san?”  Mai asked, surprised.

 “I’m very spiritually sensitive, so I’ve really been tormented by –”

 As Tora knew she would, Ayako cut Kuroda off with, “You grandstander.  You just want to make yourself conspicuous.  Is this how badly you want people to pay attention to you?”

 “Y-you don’t have to say it like that!”  Mai defended angrily.

 “I’m only telling the truth.”  Ayako replied calmly.  “That girl has no spiritual sensitivity.  She just wants to stand out.”

 “You can’t mean…” Mai began, only to be overridden by Kuroda’s dark chuckles.

 “I’m going to summon a spirit, and have it possess you.”

 “Kuroda-san?” Mai’s voice was very quiet, even as Tora came away from the van and placed a comforting hand against her sister’s shoulder.

 “You false priestess.  Very soon, you’re going to regret this.”  With that, Kuroda walked away.

  


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

 

After a few moments, Mai seemed to shake off her shock.  “Ne, Naru-chan, what do you want us to do today?”

He whipped around and stared at the sisters with big blue eyes, shocked.  “What did you just say?”  He stood.  “Did you just call me “Naru”?”

 “S-sorry, um,” Mai began, Tora moving to stand at her sister’s elbow.

 “Where did you hear that?”

 Both sisters blinked in surprise.

 “Other people call you that?”  Tora asked, surprised.

 “Of course!”  Mai exclaimed, smiling brightly at her sister.  “Other people must think the same as me!  Naru-cisstic Naru-chan!”

 It was at that moment that the principal decided to show himself.

 “Hey, everyone, I see you’re all here.  This is John Brown-san,” he gestured to a young, blonde man beside him.

 The blonde bowed, and in a truly odd, _heavily_ rural dialect, asked, “How’s tricks?  My name is John Brown, and I be from Australia.  I hope you’ll treat a strange kindly.”

 Ayako and the monk both turned away, trying to hide their giggles, and Mai took a half pace behind Torao, with a hand over her mouth.

 “Uh, you see, Brown-san seems to have learned his Japanese down in the Kansai area,” The principal explained.

 “I’m busting a gut!”  The monk exclaimed amongst peals of laughter, with Ayako being not much better.

 “So then, you’re a spiritualist, too?”  She gasped out.

 “Yes,” Brown-san said earnestly.  “I’m what you’d call an exorcist.”

 Naru-chan piped up then, “I thought that you weren’t supposed to be able to drive out evil spirits unless you’re a Catholic priest or better.  You seem pretty young for that.”

 “You know your stuff!”  Brown-san exclaimed cheerfully.  “You’re right, I’m nineteen already, I jus’ look like a young ‘un.”

 Ah, so he is older than Naru, too?  This time, Mai did join in the giggling.

 Tora kicked her shin and took a half step forward, hand extended.  “ _It is ah pureasure to meet you, Brown-san_ ,” She said in reasonable English.  “ _I_ _ahm Torao Taniyama, and thisu is my sisuter, Mai.  I ahm sor-ry that she isu being rude, but tha-at accento is v-ery sutrongu.  Kansai-ben is ah dialect, you see?_ ”

 John shook her hand with a warm smile.  “ _Your English is better than my Japanese, I reckon.  It is a pleasure to meet you, too, Torao-san.  Are you also a spiritualist?_ ”

 Tora’s face hardened, and she shook her head.  “ _No.  Mai and I are Shibuya-san’s assitantsu for now – he is a Ghosto Hunter._ ”  She then gestured to both Ayako and the monk.  “ _This is Ayako Matsuzaki, ah Shinto priestess, ah Miko-san; that is Hoshou Takigawa, ah Buddhist monk, Bou-san._ ”

 “ _Ah, I see!_ ”  Brown-san nodded his understanding, before turning to Naru-chan.  “So, this here equipment in da car is all yors?  Impressive.”

 “It’s best if you don’t say ‘wate’,” Naru-chan advised Brown-san, smiling wryly – at his Japanese, or Tora’s English, the sisters didn’t know.  “If you say ‘boku’ or ‘watashi’, you shouldn’t say ‘ansan’: otherwise, you’d be changing the meaning to ‘you’.”

 Brown-san nodded his head.  “Okay, thanks.  Ya be Shibuya?”

 “Shibuya Kazuya, yes”

 “Shibuya-san, hope ya don' min' takin' me aroun' the place first.”

 Naru-chan nodded slightly, before turning to the sisters.  “Mai, Torao; time to work.”

 

* * *

 

 

“An exorcist, an apostate priest, and a Ghost Hunter?”  Ayako scoffed once they had all looked around the base that Naru-san and the sisters had set up the night before.  “To call in this many people, that principal has no faith in me, huh?  Hmph!  Just you watch!  I’ll clean out this dusty old schoolhouse by myself!”

 “I’m going to work on my own, too.”  Bou-san said, waving a casual hand over his shoulder on his way out.

 “Um, can I…”  Brown-san stuttered.

 “You go ahead and help yourself, too.” Naru-chan says coolly, eyes on his computer screens.

 “No, I mean, let me work with you.”  Brown-san manages.  The sisters watch, Mai’s eyes curious, Torao’s hiding calculations behind a blank mask.

 Naru-chan doesn’t have any time to answer, though, because it’s then that Torao picks up a spike of intent, then fear, and they all hear Ayako scream.

 They all of them rush into the hallways, Torao leading with Mai close on her heels, only to find that Ayako is locked behind a sliding door.

 “Open up!  Open the door!”

 A dull gleam of light catches Torao’s eye, just as the monk yells for Ayako to stand back, he’s kicking the door in.

 “Stand back, Ayako!”

 “Don’t you drop name-honorifics with me!”

 “Here I go!”

 Once Ayako was free, they all went back to the base – Naru-chan stopping to pick up the nail, though only Tora noticed – and Mai dug out the thermos of tea she’d brought that morning.

 “As I was looking around the classroom, the door suddenly closed, and when I tried to open it, I couldn’t.  There really is something here, after all.  Torao-kohai, you should have said so in the beginning!”

 Tora bristled.  “As far as I can hear, there isn’t, Aya-sempai.  But since I’m not a spiritualist, it doesn’t matter _what_ I say.”  A vague human presence drifted into her senses at the last second, and Tora turned in surprise.

 “No, you are right.  I don’t sense any presence, either.”  Soft spoken, familiar.

 Mai let out a terrified, cut-off “ _T-there it is!_ ”, and hid behind Naru-chan’s shoulder.  ( _No_ , she _wasn’t_ offended that her sister had turned to the cute boss, instead of herself.)

 “She’s human,” Naru-chan told Mai calmly, removing her fingers from his sleeves.  “Hara Masako, the spirit medium.”

 “Spirit Medium?”  Mai turned curious eyes to her sister, and Tora gave her a narrow-eyed glare, shaking her head once.

 “This is a surprise,” Bou-san said.  “He called in a famous personality like you, too?”

 “What is this?”  Ayako was less than impressed.  “You’re just a pseudo-medium, who gets the TV-star treatment because you’re a little bit pretty, aren’t you?”

 “It is an honour to receiver such praise.” Hara-san said plainly.

 “W-why you little…”

 “I wonder, have I ever had the pleasure of meeting you before?”  She asked Naru-chan.

 “No, I believe this is our first meeting.”

 “I see…”  A half glance at Torao and Mai, before her eyes settled back on Naru-chan.

 “In any case,” Ayako continued.  “There is a spirit here.  I think that all of this is the work of an earth spirit.”

 “I think it’s a sitebound spirit.”  Bou-san disagreed.  “Something must have happened here in this old school, long ago.”

 “You mean, the spirit of someone who was killed in a certain place, and then is trapped there forever?”  Mai asked. 

 “Yes.  I think that it’s afraid that it’s going to lose its home, so it’s blocking the construction work.”

 “But Tora says there isn’t anyone here,” Mai said worriedly.  “And Hara-san says the same.  Could it be something else, like bad luck?”

 Before he could do much more than sniff, Naru-chan asked Brown-san his opinion.

 A sigh.  “I don’t really know, but usually a _haunted house_ originates from it having a _ghost_ or a _spirit_.”

 “Tsupirito, seirei; ghosuto, yurei…” Naru-chan translated, rolling the nail between his fingers.  “Are you listening to this, Mai?”

 Both sisters stiffened at that.

 “Hey, are you suddenly dropping honorifics with me?”  Mai demanded, even as Tora stepped closely to her sister, eyes narrowed.

 “You did it earlier yourself, didn’t you?”

  _Huh?_

 “I’ve had enough!”  Ayako snapped.  “I’m driving it away right now, and getting out of here!  I can’t hang around with you people forever.”

 She hadn’t made it passed the door when Kuroda-san appeared again.  “Are you sure you can drive it out?  There is a very strong spirit here.”

 “Kuroda-san?”  Mai asked, taking a half-step forward.

 “Out of my way!”  Ayako snapped, shoving past.

 Mai rushed over as Kuroda-san sunk to the floor, Tora following behind her sister.

 “I was attacked.”

 “You’re kidding!” Mai gasped

 “It’s true.  I was walking down the hallway, when suddenly, someone pulled my hair with incredible force.  When I tried to get away, it started to strangle me.  _Your spirit sensitivity is too strong, so you must leave!_ , it said.”

 “When was this?”  Naru-chan asked, even as a sceptical Tora checked Kuroda-san’s neck for bruising (she could see none).

 “Just a moment ago.  It happened in the second floor hallway.”  Kuroda answered promptly.

 “Untrue.”  Hara-san interrupted.  “There is no spirit here.  This girl says so, too.”  Here, she gestured at Tora, who felt herself blush crossly.

 “It’s Taniyama,” she bit out.  “But like I said, I’m not a spiritualist, I just have really good senses.  I don’t hear anything now, I didn’t hear anything then, and nor did I hear anything when Aya-sempai was locked away.”

 “There is a spirit here!”  Kuroda-san exclaimed.  “There is a spirit here.  A strong spirit.”

 “The second floor hallway, you said?”  Naru-chan interrupted, turning back to his computers, the nail tucked away in a pant pocket.  He replayed his recordings, and they all watched as Kuroda-san entered the building, and made her way to the second floor hallway.  That was when the cameras cut out.

 “What happened?”  Mai asked.  “Is the camera broken?”

 “No, but this is significant.”  Naru-chan said.  “When spirits appear, equipment often stops working correctly.  Which one might this be… A Spirit?  EM interference?  Or perhaps…”

 “Obviously, it’s a spirit!”  Kuroda-san exclaimed.  “I was attacked, at that spot!”

 Tora let out a long, slow breath, longing for her bokken.

 “But Hara-san said there were no spirits.”  Mai said.  “She is a professional.  And no matter what she says, I trust my sister’s judgement, too.”

 “I wonder if she really has any spiritual sensitivity.”  Kuroda-san said harshly.

 “It’s common for a female medium to run extremely hot or cold,” Naru-chan said.  “Even if she wasn’t able to sense it earlier, we can’t say for sure that there isn’t one here.”

 Tora’s brows rose, and she bit her tongue to stop herself from saying something horribly crass.

 “If what you say is true, then it’s possible that the spirit here is quite in tune with your wavelength, like Torao suggested earlier.”

 “That could be it,” Kuroda-san said, giving Naru-chan the hero-worship eyes.

 Tora had a sense of _worried-littlepanic-guilt_ from her sister, so she elbowed Mai gently, and placed her mouth by her sister’s ear.  “This didn’t happen because of your story telling, you know,” She breathed gently, feeling Mai stiffen, shiver, and relax.  “One of you would have to have some crazy-strong talent for that to happen.  Promise.”

 Mai gave her a wobbly smile in return.  The panic disappeared from the _feeling-that-was-Mai_ in her Haki sense, and some of the guilt; she was still worried.

 Well, nothing Tora could do about that right now.  She’d just have a long talk with her sister once they returned home that evening.

 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trafalgar D Watel Lami should be dead. Thanks to the Taniyama family's meddling, she’s not – though she can hear the voices of those who are. She was fine with it all, until her adoptive sister, Mai, started working for that narcissistic Ghost Hunter. Things got weirder still when she saw her dead big brother in the latest chapter of her favourite manga. Can't she catch a break?!

 

 

Ayako stood before them, dressed in her Miko ensemble. “Ok, pay attention.  I’ll exorcise it, no problem.”

Once she was out of earshot, Bou-san said, “I wonder if she’s really able…”

“Aya-sempai is capable,” Tora said lightly.  “I have seen her exorcise spirits before.”

“I guess I may as well check it out then,” Bou-san shrugged, turning to face Naru-chan.  “What about you?”

 Naru-chan shrugged.  “I’ve never seen a Shinto-style exorcism.  I guess I’ll check it out, too.”

 “ _I reverently pray for thy presence.  Deign to ensconce thyself in this unhallowed place, and purify its many vessels.  I ask that my humble plea may be heard, that peace and calm may be granted unto this place…_ ” 

 “What is she saying?”  Mai asked curiously, as the sisters and the men stood together off to the side, watching as the miko chanted in front of the small shrine that had been set up for the occasion.

 “Be quiet,” Naru scolded.  “You’re Japanese, and you don’t know about Norito?” 

 “Norito?”

 ”It’s a ritual prayer offered to a Shinto god.”

 “Consider them incantations,” Tora told her sister, leaning against her shoulder.  “Aya-sempai prays to her god, or a listening helpful spirit, and uses some of their power to help spirits see the light.  As she prays, she waves that Ōnusa to the left and right to help with the purification ritual.  Remember when we were twelve, and I went to Odawara?”

 “Oh yeah, I was so jealous of you that time!”

 “I went with Aya-sempai and watched her do an exorcism in the gardens of the castle there.  It was very beautiful.”

 “… _May this place be as the High, Heavenly Plain.  May the kami from all around come together.  Praise be to the goddess Marishiten.  I pray thee, descend, and grant us thy divine protection._ ”  Ayako finished.  “There will be nothing to worry about now.  ”

 The school principal and the dean were both with her, and were very impressed.

 “The expression “divine” fits most perfectly!  What would you say to a party in your honour tonight?”

 “After I’ve banished spirits from a place, I spend the night there, to keep an eye on it, so…”

 “I see.  You are indeed a pro.  Well then, how about lunch somewhere?”

 Torao stiffened, even as Mai and Bou-san started stretching and yawning. 

 “Aya-sempai, look out!”  She shouted, crouching and pulling Mai down with her just as the front door windows exploded inward.

 The flash of intent that Tora had picked up on was gone, so after quickly checking Mai over, she rushed towards Ayako and the teachers, closely on John’s heels.

 “He’s bleeding!”

 “Let me see,” Tora said firmly, carefully, helping the principal and dean to both sit up a little, at least.  Eyeing them critically, she called out, “Mai, call Akihito-hakise!”, and chucked their shared phone towards her sister, who caught it, fumbling.

 “R-right!  _Moshi moshi? …  Neruba-san, it’s Taniyama Mai, we have two injured men that we’ll be bringing round, will Akihito-hakise be free? …  A glass window exploded, and cut them…  Un, I’ll check._ Tora?”

 “Superficial cuts and bleeding,” Tora answered easily.  “I just need access to their instruments and waste disposal.”

 “ _Neruba-san?  … Oh, you heard it all, good.  Ok, we won’t be long! …  Thank you!”_

 “Aya-sempai, are you alright?”

 Ayako was giving Tora a hard look _._   “You heard that coming, didn’t you?”

 Tora’s lips quirked up into a small smirk.  “I’ll take that as a yes.  Help me get them to the hospital?”

 “Taniyama-san,” The principal began.

 “It’s fine,” Torao interrupted.  “The doctor is a good friend of mine – he will look after you both.  Can you stand?”

 “Oh… yes, yes, we can make our own way over there.  You and your sister, clean up this mess, ok?”

 Both sisters wilted, Torao at the missed practical opportunity, and Mai at the state of the mess.  “H-hai, Sensei…”

 

* * *

 

 

“‘There will be nothing to worry about’, huh?”  Kuroda snarked at Ayako.  “You didn’t properly eliminate the spirits.  The school principal got hurt because of you.”

“That was an accident,” Hara Masako said softly.  She had been walking around the building at the time, using her senses to try and find spirits.

 “It’s true.  I did my part right – ”  Ayako joined.

 “I’m not saying you weren’t successful at exorcising them, because there weren’t any spirits here in the first place.”

 “She’s right,” Tora sighed.  She and Mai were leaning against the wall, feeling drained.  “There aren’t any spirits, but _something_ caused windows to smash.  I could hear the intent loud and clear.”

 “But there are spirits here!”  Kuroda exclaimed.  “I was trapped by one of them!”

 “Could it have been a coincidence?”  John asked.

 “Maybe there really is something here,” Bou-san said, “Something strong that the priestess isn’t able to handle?”

 “Oi, didn’t you hear Torao?!”  Mai snapped.  “And Hara-san, too!”

 “If so,” Naru interrupted firmly.  “There ought to have been more readings on my equipment.”

 Tora was rubbing the bridge of her nose in annoyance, whilst Mai had drifted over to the computer monitors, feeling vaguely wistful and guilty to Tora’s Haki sense.

 “Naru-chan!” 

 Tora looked up at her sister’s exclamation.

 “What’s wrong?”

 “In the classroom where we put the camera – that is, the classroom on the eastern edge of the second floor – there was no chair in the middle of the room, was there?”

 Naru’s eyes narrowed.  “Did anyone go to that room?”

 “No…?”  They chorused.

 Naru reran the recordings to just before the front windows smashed, and everybody watched as the chair wobbled unsteadily into the middle of the room.

 “What’s happening?”  Mai asked Naru.

 “It’s a poltergeist,” Kuroda answered.  “I believe the word means “noisy spirit” in German.  Poltergeists make objects move, or they make noises.  Isn’t that right, Shibuya-san?”

 “That’s absolutely correct,” Naru said.  “But I don’t think this was a poltergeist.  Objects that are moved by a poltergeist should feel warm.  But it doesn’t seem like this chair has gone up in temperature,” here he gestured to the thermographic displays.  “That would be very unusual.” 

 “But…”  John began haltingly.  “Is there any other evidence that would let us categorize it as a poltergeist?”

 “Tezanne.”  Naru nodded.

 “Huh?”  Mai cocked her head to one side; Tora gave her a one-shoulder shrug when she looked over.

 “E. Tezanne,” Naru explained, “was a French police officer.  He classified what it is that makes up a poltergeist.  Explosions, opening or closing doors, noises, knocks… a total of nine categories.  Phenomena that have happened here so far are: a door closing and locking by itself, a moving object… Even if we were to include the broken glass, that only gives us three categories.  I think we lack enough evidence to assume that it’s a poltergeist.”

   **[I’m really cranky at myself for using the anime in the last chapter, because at this point in the novel and manga, when Mai askes ‘what about when Kuroda was attacked?’ Naru gets cranky that nobody told him about it ^_^”  So instead, OP plot development!!]**

 “But…”  Mai began quietly, fiddling with her fingers.  Tora felt the blood start to drain from her face, and struggled to keep a blank mask on.  “Sometimes… sometimes, humans can do these things too, can’t they?  Move stuff with their heads, when they’re emotional?”

 Everybody stared at Mai.

 “How do you know about that?”  Naru asked softly, but when Mai’s head jerked up in surprise, eyes wide with not-quite-hidden panic, he said, “Never mind.  You’re right, that happens sometimes, too.  It’s called Psychokinesis, or PK for short…”  He trailed off, staring at the computer screen, and rolling the nail from earlier between his fingers.  “Hara-san, what do you think?”

 “The attack was her imagination.  I’m going to check inside again.”

 “Why won’t you admit that you made a mistake?!”  Kuroda exclaimed.

 Hara paused in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder at the group.  “There are no spirits in this building.”

 “If there really are spirits here,” John said softly, “and Hara-san can’t sense them, that would be a shock, huh?”

 “Of course,” Naru agreed.  “A psychic is a psychic because she can see spirits that an ordinary person can’t.  If you mess that up, you will no longer be considered a psychic.”

 “Shibuya-san must be a sucker for a pretty face,” Kuroda scoffed; to Tora’s surprise, Mai jumped.  “You’re sticking up for her quite a bit, aren’t you?”

 “I’m well aware of her accomplishments, and I do have praise for her talent.  Don’t you agree I should at least treat her with respect?”

 "I suggest you also pay a little more respect to us, too.”  Ayako interjected.

 “Matsuzaki-san,” Naru began.  “what is it about you that I should regard highly?”

 “ _What did you just say?!_ ”  Ayako thundered.

 “Oi!”  Tora snapped, standing in between them with her hands upraised and a frown in place, only to freeze, eyes blown wide.  An incredible amount of fear and intent was battering at her Haki senses, but she couldn’t tell where it was coming from, or who it was directed at.  “We – !”  She snapped, just as the first of the cracking began.

 “Rapping noises?”  Bou-san wondered.

 “You mean, the noise a ghost makes?!”  Mai exclaimed, before shaking her head quickly, and grabbing Tora’s hand.

 There was another, stronger, different stab of fear at Tora’s Haki-sense, and they all heard Hara-san’s scream.

 “Hara-san just fell from the classroom on the second floor!”  John exclaimed, and with that, Mai and Torao took off outside.

 They pulled up just in front of the fallen medium, Tora moving quickly and efficiently to check how she was, whilst Mai called the hospital again, this time requesting an ambulance.

 “Hara-ya, you are going to be fine,” Tora smiled softly, ghosting her fingers along the medium’s sides, arms and legs, Haki searching every muscle, sinew and bone.  Naru turned up, just as Tora was pulling back.  “Stay down, until the ambulance arrives, ok?  There’s just some deep muscle bruising, some minor strains – but you will recover shortly, and be absolutely fine.”

 Deep violet eyes were blown wide in fear and pain.  “It was my own stupidity,” she whispered.  “It was just an accident.  There are still no spirits here.”

 Mai had hung up from Neruba-san, and came over, taking one of Hara’s hands.  “We know, it’s ok.  If Tora says you’re going to be fine, you have nothing to worry about!  And Naru-chan is capable, after all, so we’ll have this finished in no time!”  She turned around to look at Naru, smile bright.  “Right, Boss?”

 He nodded once, face composed, but Tora had to struggle under the crushing guilt she could feel coming off of him.

 “Taniyama-san?”  Hara whispered.

 “Mm?”  Mai squeezed her hand comfortingly, and Tora gave her another one of her patients-only smiles.

 “Which twin is which?”

 Both girls froze for a second, before Mai forced a laugh.  “We get that a lot!  It’s easy: Torao is really clever, and can hear spirits, and me, Mai, I’m just a really clumsy idiot.”

 Tora smacked her on the shoulder and gave her a glare.  “That’s not true!”

 “Fundamentally it is!”

 Tora gave her another glare, before turning back to Hara.  “I’m left-handed, and Mai’s right handed.  Mai is the older sister, and I am the younger sister, but people often get it confused.”

 “I see…” Hara said quietly. 

 Thankfully, it was around that time that the ambulance arrived, and Hara Masako was admitted into the hospital under Akihito-hakise’s care.

 

* * *

 

“The part of the eastern wall that had been demolished was boarded up with weak plywood, to keep the elements out.”  Naru informed the group, once he and the sisters had returned to the base.  “When Hara-san leaned against it, the plywood broke and she fell through.  She says it was an accident.”

“She’s just being stubborn,” Ayako said.  “I think there are spirits here, and I _know_ Torao-kohai sensed something!”

 “Spirits that you couldn’t completely get rid of,” Bou-san sniped before Tora could say anything cutting.  “Which means… they are more dangerous.”

 “Really?!”  Mai exclaimed.

 “Spirits that escape an exorcism are as dangerous as a wild beast.  And they can become extremely violent.”

 “Then, it’s your fault that Masako was injured!”

 “What?!” 

 “Don’t jump to conclusions,” Naru managed to stop the showdown between Mai and Ayako before it ever even had a chance to start.  “As far as I can deduce from the tape, it was a legitimate accident.”

 “Then…!”  Mai began again.

 “There may be a logical explanation to all of this…” 

 “But because the accidents continue, should the building still be considered haunted or cursed?  How did those objects move, anyway?!  That’s what doesn’t make sense!” 

 “That’s exactly right.  But there just aren’t enough readings on the equipment we have set up.  There aren’t any temperature drops, or ionic polarization, and electrostatic charges are normal.  The data shows completely normal values.”

 “But what about the Miko-san getting locked up?”  Kuroda exclaimed.  “And me getting attacked?  The video getting cut off, glass broken, blackboard cracking… what about the moving chair?!”

 “That’s why I said it doesn’t’ make sense.”

 “The spirits may be strong enough to fool us into thinking they’re not here, right?”  Bou-san offered.

 Tora stiffened, indignant.  “Even if a medium can be fooled by such a thing,” she said icily.  “I would still be able to hear the intentions.  It is as Hara-ya said: there are no spirits here.”

 “… What do you think it is, Bou-san?”  Naru asked.

 “Jibakurei.”  **(AN – sitebound spirit)**

 “And you, John?”

 “I don’t know.  Though I agree with you, it is dangerous here.”

 “Torao?”

 She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.  “It’s … difficult.  There are no spirits here, but every time I sense those intentions, I can’t tell where or who they’re coming from.  All I know is that panic and anger are the main causes that I have heard so far. …  What about you, Naru-ya?”

 “I’ll share my opinion later.  I’m going to research this from a different angle.  Mai, I’m going to the van.  Watch the equipment.  This mike is connected to the van, so if something happens, just talk to me.”

 “Ok!” 

 Just as Naru was walking away, the Taniyama’s phone rang.  Mai squeaked, pulling it out quickly and struggling to read the screen.  “Ah!  Moshi moshi, Fu-kun!  Are you looking for Tora? …  Ok, I’ll put her on.”

 “Fusao?”  Tora asked, taking the phone and walking away from everyone a little bit.  “What is it?”

 “ _Where have you been the last few days!?_ ”

 “I told you, Mai and I are working.”

 “ _You’re missing practice, which you_ never _do.  Come on, what did you do – no, wait, it was Mai-chan, wasn’t it?_ ”

 “Why does everyone assume it was Mai?!”  Tora snapped back.

 “ _… Sooo, it was her?_ ”

 “… Yes…”  Tora mumbled in defeat.

 Fusao snorted on the other end.  “ _Anyway, Hahawei wants to know if you two want to come around for dinner tonight?  I’ll walk you both over, you don’t even need to change or anything._ ”

 “That’s kind of you, but we’re fine.  Besides, I don’t know what time we finish here, and it would be rude to leave before everyone else.  I’m not even sure if the boss has eaten today, as it is…”

 “ _Alright,_ ”  Fusao sighed.  “ _You leave me no other choice: I’ll just come around instead!  Where are you?_ ”

 “We’re at the old schoolhouse.  You know, the haunted one.”

 “ _H-haunted?!_  " Her friend's panicky voice blared from the phone. _"*ahem*, yeah, right, as if you would let Mai-chan anywhere near such things!  Nice try, Torao.  I’ll be there in a sec._ ”

 “Did you just hang up on me?!  Fusao!”  Tora snapped at her phone.

 There was a whistle, and Fusao rapped on the window she was standing next to.  Tora gave him one of her patented glares, before letting him in. 

 “This is hardly professional,” She scolded him.

 Fusao laughed.  “Good thing I’m not a professional, then!  Where’s Mai-chan?  You didn’t leave her alone in this big scary house, right?”

 Tora cuffed him up the back of the head, before walking back towards the base.

 “Eh?  Did John-ya leave?”

 “He’s going to perform an exorcism,” Mai said, staring at the screens intently.  “Ah, Fu-kun!  What are you doing here?”

 He grinned.  “I came to take my favourite ladies out to dinner!”

 Mai laughed.  “Please thank your mother for us, but I don’t know when we’re leaving here.”

 “That’s ok, Hahawei won’t mind much, since it’s you two.  Besides, she’s making Saba Shioyaki and Nikujaga."  **(grilled mackerel, and meat and potato stew, according to Google)**

 Mai began to drool with longing, before shaking her head determinedly.  “I’m not going until Naru-chan says we can, so – !”  She broke off abruptly, having turned back to the screens, and quickly called over the microphone, “Naru!  The screen is all staticy again!”

 “ _That’s just because it’s getting dark.  It’s switching over to night vision.  How’s everything else?_ ”

 Mai sighed, and Fusao chuckled at her; Tora hit him again.  “John’s about to start his exorcism.  Ah, he’s back.”

 “ _… Let me know how it goes._ ”

… … …

 “ _Our Father, who are in Heaven, hallowed by thy name_.”

 “What’s with the water?”  Mai asked Bou-san.

 “It’s holy water, right?”  Fusao piped up instead.  “That friend of yours is a priest, isn’t he, Mai-chan?”

 “Mm…”

 “ _In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God._ ”

 “Are those more rapping noises?”  Kuroda asked.

 “Turn up the volume!”  Bou-san said.

 “The Word was in the beginning with God.  Through him all things were made, and without the Word, no thing was made.  In him was life.  And that life was the light of men.”

 “I have a bad feeling,” Tora whispered, clutching her arms.  “There’s no intention, but I have a _really_ bad feeling…”

 Mai took off.

 “Mai, no!”

 “Hey, jou-chan!”

 “Mai-chan, wait!”

 But she had already dashed away, and before Tora could go tearing after her, she had appeared on the screens.

 “John!”

 “Mai-san?”

 “John, it’s dangerous!  Get out!  Hurry!  The ceiling is falling!”

 Mai rushed forward and grabbed John’s hand, there was a great squealing crack from the roof, before it caved in.

 

* * *

 

 

“What a disaster,” John said.  “If Mai hadn’t come to save me, I would’ve been crushed.”

“Maybe it’s best if we pulled out of here for tonight.” Naru suggested.  “Mai, Torao, you can go home.”

“Yes!!”  Mai shouted in victory.  “Yasuhara-san’s cooking for dinner!  Fu-kun, lead the way!”

“In that case, I’m going too,” Ayako said.  “’While there’s life, there’s hope.’”

 “Just admit you’re scared,” Bou-san teased, and followed the sulking priestess from the room.

 “I will follow your advice as well, and call it a day.”  John said.

 “What about you, Naru?”  Mai asked.

 “There’s still something I want to investigate.”

 “But what if the ceiling comes down again?”

 Naru ignored them, studying the angles of a shard of wood.

 “Well!”  Fusao said suddenly, in a voice that was too loud for the room.  “You can’t just act like that, with two beautiful ladies worried about you!”

 “Fusao – ”  Torao began warningly.

 “It’s fine.  After all, Osamu-nii and his family were all supposed to come today, so we have a lot of spare food now that they aren’t.  Naru-san is more than welcome to come too, that way, you won’t be worrying.”

 Tora sighed.  “Naru is just a nickname Mai gave him.  Yasuhara Fusao, this is Shibuya Kazuya.  He’s a Ghost Hunter.”

 Fusao gave a blinding smile.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Shibuya-san.  Now, let’s all hurry before Hahawei starts to worry, ok?”

 Before Naru could even begin to protest, Fusao had swept them all up and out the door, chattering away blithely, and completely ignoring the stink eye that the Ghost Hunter was trying to give him.

 It was going to be a _weird_ dinner.


End file.
